Ellie Simester (Lower Sixth)

On Thursday lunchtime, aspiring medics and students studying Philosophy and Ethics attended an engaging Robotics in Medicine webinar hosted by the University of Sheffield.  

We learnt about the multiple benefits of new technology including personalised treatment, precision of monitoring and therapy, improvements in outcomes and consistency and the availability of long-term treatment from home.

During the webinar, it was interesting to learn about a new robot developed by the University of Sheffield to treat Oesophageal Atresia. This is a medical condition where young children are born with an underdeveloped oesophagus. Treatment can cost over £ 900,000, and often results in two weeks of paralysis followed by three months in hospital. However, with this new development this dangerous and expensive procedure could potentially be eradicated in favour of a small and less intrusive robot.

This is just one example of how robotics is changing and improving the future of medicine, and the importance STEM subjects will undoubtedly hold in the future.